Thailand has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening economic cooperation and strengthening business-to-business ties between Thailand and Ethiopia, with a view to creating new trade and investment opportunities and fostering concrete, mutually beneficial business partnerships.

Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, in his capacity as Special Envoy of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow, delivered opening remarks at “Thailand–Ethiopia: Building Business Bridges” in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 29 August 2026.

The Advisor to the Minister highlighted the complementary economic potential of Thailand and Ethiopia. Ethiopia can serve as a gateway to East African markets, while Thailand can provide a link to markets and supply chains in Southeast Asia. 

This business mission was in line with the Thailand-Africa Initiative (TAI), which seeks to foster long-term partnerships between Thailand and African countries, while strengthening economic ties and connectivity between the two regions.

The event was part of a Thai business delegation’s market exploration mission to Nigeria and Ethiopia, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create new business opportunities for the Thai private sector, in line with the Ministry’s Economic Diplomacy.

During this event, Thai and Ethiopian businesses engaged and networked with potential business partners in promising sectors, including banking and finance, agriculture and food processing, chemicals and construction materials, security technology and equipment, and energy, with a view to advancing business cooperation and partnership between the two countries.

Previously, on 28 August, the Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs provided Thailand’s financial contribution of USD 30,000 to Dr. Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director-General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Addis Ababa to support response efforts to the Ebola outbreak.

Dr. Raji expressed appreciation to the Government of Thailand for its solidarity and support for Africa’s efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak and expressed interest in promoting cooperation with Thailand in the field of public health, particularly through the exchange of knowledge and experiences in disease control and in strengthening public health systems.

Thailand affirmed the importance of strengthening relations with the African region, especially through TAI, with South–South cooperation serving as an avenue for exchanging experiences and building capacities. 

The Advisor to the Minister emphasized Thailand’s readiness to share its experiences in advancing Universal Health Coverage and public health systems. Thailand also plans to set up a team of experts responsible for establishing the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases to learn from and exchange experiences with Africa CDC.

Both sides agreed on expanding cooperation between Thailand and Africa CDC, particularly through knowledge-exchange, human resources development, and promoting people-to-people cooperation in the field of public health. Africa CDC expressed interest in engaging with ASEAN health cooperation mechanisms, to which Thailand stands ready to facilitate such linkages.